Birds Guide

The vangas are a group of little-known small to medium sized passerine birds restricted to Madagascar. Their relationship with other passerine groups is uncertain, but they seem most closely related to several other enigmatic African groups, such as helmetshrikes (Fuchs et al., 2004). Several of these species (including Van Dam's, Rufous and Sickle-billed) can be found in the Madagascar dry deciduous forests.

They are usually shrike-like, arboreal forest birds, feeding on reptiles, frogs and insects (but see below). Vangas' stick nests are built in trees They do not migrate.

Species list

Traditionally believed to be a small family of generally shrike-like birds, recent research has revealed that several taxa most similar in appearance and habits (and formerly considered to be) flycatchers or babblers are in fact vangas (Cibois et al. 1999, 2001; Yamagishi et al., 2001; Schulenberg, 2003).

Family: Vangidae

• Red-tailed Vanga Calicalicus madagascariensis
  Red-shouldered Vanga Calicalicus rufocarpalis
  Rufous Vanga Schetba rufa
  Hook-billed Vanga Vanga curvirostris
  Lafresnaye's Vanga Xenopirostris xenopirostris
  Van Dam's Vanga Xenopirostris damii
  Pollen's Vanga Xenopirostris polleni
  Sickle-billed Vanga Falculea palliata
  White-headed Vanga Artamella viridis
  Chabert Vanga Leptopterus chabert
  Blue Vanga Cyanolanius madagascarinus
  Bernier's Vanga Oriolia bernieri
  Helmet Vanga Euryceros prevostii
  Tylas Vanga Tylas eduardi
  Coral-billed Nuthatch Vanga Hypositta corallirostris
  Short-toed Nuthatch Vanga Hypositta perdita
  Dark Newtonia, Newtonia amphichroa
  Common Newtonia, Newtonia brunneicauda
  Archbold's Newtonia, Newtonia archboldi
  Red-tailed Newtonia, Newtonia fanovanae
  Crossley's Babbler Vanga, Mystacornis crossleyi
  Ward's Flycatcher Vanga, Pseudobias wardi

References

• Cibois, A.; Pasquet, E. & Schulenberg, T.S. (1999): Molecular systematics of the Malagasy babblers (Timaliidae) and Warblers (Sylviidae), based on cytochrome b and 16S rRNA sequences. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 13(3): 581-595. HTML abstract

• Cibois, A.; Slikas, B.; Schulenberg, T.S. & Pasquet, E. (2001): An endemic radiation of Malagasy songbirds is revealed by mitochondrial DNA sequence data. Evolution 55(6): 1198-1206. PDF fulltext

• Yamagishi, S.; Honda, M.; Eguchi, K. & Thorstrom, R. (2001): Extreme endemic radiation of the Malagasy Vangas (Aves: Passeriformes). J. Mol. Evol. 53(1): 39-46. HTML abstract

• Schulenberg, T.S. (2003): The Radiations of Passerine Birds of Madagascar. In: Goodman, S.M. & Benstead, J.P. (eds.): The Natural History of Madagascar, p.1130-1134.

• Fuchs, J.; Bowie, R.C.K.; Fjeldsa, J. & Pasquet, E. (2004): Phylogenetic relationships of the African bush-shrikes and helmet-shrikes (Passeriformes: Malaconotidae). Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 33(2): 428-439. HTML abstract

External links

• Vanga videos on the Internet Bird Collection